Since the early 1960s an essential ingredient of Sweden's international development aid has been focused on democracy and human rights issues and Sweden has been refining its policy continuously within this area. Today this policy has reached a certain degree of sophistication and therefore a natural focal point is on the development of the rule of law in various recipient countries. When and why was it introduced in Swedish development assistance? What does it actually entail? These and other issues related to assistance within the legal sector are discussed in this anthology written by university professors, researchers and lecturers from various law faculties and institutions in Sweden familiar with the developmental work which is channelled through the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA). It encapsulates both actual conditions and ideas outlining future perspectives.